Humanities Degree at WSU Tri-Cities

Humanities courses introduce you to the record of human creativity and provide a basis for assessing its value and significance in human development. Your studies will allow you to learn about human culture through a variety of discipline, which will improve your critical thinking and program solving skills. The Humanities degree is ideal for you if you want the flexibility to design your own program of study that will help you meet your academic and career goals. See our Program Learning Goals and Outcomes to learn more.

Meet Dr. Pieracci

Mike Pieracci, Associate Professor of History and Advisor for the Humanities Club, worked with students to organize a lecture to focus on the rise, nature, and goals of the radical organization known as ISIS and critically assess the new round of U.S. military intervention in the Middle East. Read more…

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities provides students with a broad critical and cultural understanding of world cultures and civilization, while at the same time emphasizing the writing and analytical skills that are crucial to success in the university, in professional and graduate school, and in the workplace.

The program of study is flexible and allows Humanities majors to design their own program of study based on their intellectual interests and career goals.

Students provide the academic and career goal, and their advisor helps ensure that their program of study includes any prerequisites for the 300-400 level major course work, satisfies the university’s general education requirements, and meets any additional requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences.

A general studies program can be organized according to two general plans:Plan A: Complete 24 credits in a primary concentration and 15 credits in a secondary concentration.Plan B: Complete a minimum of nine credits in three or more academic areas in the Humanities

The areas of primary and secondary concentrations can draw from the following disciplines:

Undergraduate advising is a partnership between you, your professional advisor, and your faculty mentor and it goes beyond course selection. Whether you plan to enter the workforce or continue on to earn an advanced degree, your academic advisors and professional mentors will guide you toward that goal. This holistic approach ensures that you are engaged in your academic plan, connected to the campus community and resources, and earn your degree as efficiently as possible.

While the majority of students’ courses and credits are completed within the major, the UCORE curriculum provides courses that are the foundation basic skills that all WSU students must develop no matter their major.

The University Common Requirements (UCORE) is the center of the undergraduate curriculum and you will start taking these courses starting your first semester at WSU Tri-Cities. If you took AP, IB, or Running Start courses in high school, then you may already have met some of the requirements.

The UCORE curriculum is designed to be flexible enough to work for all majors. The program offers a wide variety of course choices and provides many individual pathways through the curriculum.

Transfer students who have completed an approved Associate of Arts and Science (DTA) degree at a Washington or Oregon community college will have fulfilled most of the lower-division UCORE requirements. Because students have to also meet the College of Arts & Sciences requirements, some students must take additional courses in a foreign language in order to complete the degree. Otherwise, transfer students will have their transcripts evaluated for UCORE requirements.

Students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, must complete a minimum of 30 credits of WSU coursework and fill the major requirements to earn a second degree. UCORE requirements are not required as they are met by coursework from the first bachelor’s degree.

Humanities majors develop critical thinking and writing skills that are translatable to a number of careers and the Career Development Office offers workshops on how to develop a job search strategy, write a compelling résumé and cover letter, and sharpen your interview skills – all of which will help you land a job in today’s competitive market.

The Career Development Office also posts on- and off-campus positions for student employees. They also work with students to identify internships, cooperative work experience, and a career opportunities for after graduation.